The key is to head up into the hills above the seaside resorts behind the traffic-clogged coastal strip for peace and authentic charm.
In the Arrière-Pays, the stylish hill-top towns of Vence, St-Paul-de-Vence and Grasse, the perfume capital of France, international buyers have been attracted to the Provençal style villas, rustic mas or pretty sky-blue shuttered village houses.
In Vence, about an hour from the sea, for example, it’s possible to buy a three-bedroom character house in the centre of town for less than €250,000.
In recent years the hilltop town of Mougins, just 15 minutes from Cannes, has become popular for its high-class restaurants and its renowned international school.
Lorgues is a beautiful historic town famed for its market and worth a look. Even in this fashionable area you can get a two-bedroom apartment in an 18th century building right in the heart of the lovely old town at a good price.